Ladder platform attachment

ABSTRACT

A support means adapted to be attached to a ladder to provide a platform operable for supporting an operator or other desirable means while the ladder is in use and includes a frame attachment assembly which will permit the platform to be moved from an operable supporting position to a displaced nonsupporting position to allow ascending and descending movement relative thereto along the ladder. The frame assembly includes a pair of bracket supports members pivotally supported for movement from a laterally displaced nonsupporting position to a fore and aft operable supporting position with the platform supporting surface in contact with an upper edge of the support brackets. The frame assembly includes means for removably attaching the platform support means to the rungs of a ladder. A safety ring supporting means defining a supporting area around the path of ascending and descending movement along the ladder is removably attached to the ladder in vertically spaced location relative to the platform support means to provide safety means for an operator standing on the platform support means.

United States Patent 1 ODell [541 LADDER PLATFORM ATTACHMENT [75]Inventor: Rawleigh D. ODell, Atlanta, Ga.

[73] Assignee: Ulace J. ODell, Lewisburg, Ohio a part interest [22]Filed: March 10, 1971 [211 App]. No.: 122,884

[52] US. Cl ..182/106, 182/122 [51] Int. Cl ..E06c 7/16 [58] Field ofSearch ..182/214,120,121,122,106, 182/53, 61

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,365,695 1/1921 Kimmerle etal ..182/161 1,921,583 8/1933 Reed ..182/106 1,945,113 l/l934 Kloboucnik..182/61 1,953,390 4/1934 Bosch ..182/106 2,245,661 6/1941 Fieroh.....182/122 2,678,243 5/1954 Masse.... .....182/12O 2,605,950 8/1952Colvin ..182/214 2,934,163 4/1960 Ladewski ..182/214 3,288,249 11/1966Gibson ..182/214 2,327,317 8/1943 Randall ..182/214 3,459,277 8/1969Frederick ..182/214 3,072,218 l/1963 Peters ..182/214 3,028,929 3/1962Chubbs ..182/214 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado AttorneyNewton,Hopkins & Ormsby [57] ABSTRACT A support means adapted to be attached toa ladder to provide a platform operable for supporting an operator orother desirable means while the ladder is in use and includes a frameattachment assembly which will permit the platform to be moved from anoperable supporting position to a displaced nonsupporting position toallow ascending and descending movement relative thereto along theladder. The frame assembly includes a pair of bracket supports memberspivotally supported for movement from a laterally displacednonsupporting position to a fore and aft operable supporting positionwith the platform supporting surface in contact with an upper edge ofthe support brackets. The frame assembly includes means for removablyattaching the platform support means to the rungs of a ladder. A safetyring supporting means defining a supporting area around the path ofascending and descending movement along the ladder is removably attachedto the ladder in vertically spaced location relative to the platformsupport means to provide safety means for an operator standing on theplatform support means.

12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LADDER PLATFORM ATTACHMENT BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to the building construction andfinishing industry wherein a ladder is used to allow a constructionworker to reach a predetermined area in a building construction orfinishing operation. More particularly, this invention includes aplatform attachment which can be readily attached to a ladder to providea supporting surface for an operator using the ladder, allowing theoperator to stand thereon at a predetermined location.

In the building construction and finishing industry a ladder is oftenused to allow an operator to reach a desired location to perform abuilding construction task such as adding or removing constructionelements to a building or for use in painting a desired area of abuilding. A number of ladder support means and attachments have beenprovided which will provide a supporting surface for an operator tostand thereon when attached to a ladder. However, the prior art ladderplatform support attachments have been extremely complex inconstruction, uneconomical to manufacture and unreliable in performance.

Further, the prior art ladder platform support attachments must becompletely removed from a supporting ladder to allow an operator to haveascending and descending motion along the ladder. Such a platformattachment must allow an operator to ascend to a desired location andthen the platform support attachment must be attached to the ladder byan additional operator.

SUMMARY OF THE'INVENTION The above disadvantages of the prior art havebeen overcome by the present invention which basically includes a frameassembly having means for supporting engagement with a ladder. The frameassembly includes a pair of bracket support means pivotally supportedthereon for movement from a laterally extending inoperable position to afore and aft supporting position. A platform support surface is'removably attached to one of said bracket members and adapted'to bemoved to a supporting position in contact with an upper edge of thebracket support members when moved to an operable support position.

An important feature of the present invention is the location of thebracket support means relative to the width of the ladder wherebymovement of the bracket support members and platform support surface toan inoperable position will allow ascending and descending movementrelative thereto along the length of the ladder.

An additional feature of the present invention includes the angularrelationship of the pivotal axis of the bracket support means, wherebyth'esupport brackets are urged and maintained in an operable supportingposition by the weight of an operator standing on the support platform.

Another feature of the present invention includes a safety ringsupporting member adapted to be attached to a ladder in verticallyspaced location relative to the platform support means and wherein thering support means is provided with a detailed supporting surfacesurrounding the outer edge of the platform support surface to provide asafety support means for an operator standing on the platform. Thesafety ring support member is supported on the ladder for movement froman inoperable position to an operable position allowing an operator tomove into position on the support platform and thereafter moving thesafety ring to an operable position.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a platformsupport means which can be readily attached and removed from a ladder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a platform support meanshaving a platform support surface which can be moved from an operablesupporting position located in the path of ascending and descendingmovement along the ladder and can be moved to an inoperable positionlocated outwardly from the path of ascending and descending movementalong the path of the ladder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a frame assembly whichcan be readily attached to a ladder and which includes support meanspermitting a platform support surface to be supported thereon in anoperable position and to be moved to a laterally displaced inoperableposition.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a framesupporting assembly for supporting a platform surface on a ladderwhereby the weight of an operator standing on the platform will urge theframe assembly to an operable supporting position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a frame supportingassembly which can be readily removed or attached to the rungs of aladder.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a frame assemblyadapted to be attached to the rungs of a ladder whereby the frameassembly includes adjusting means allowing the frame assembly to beconnected to the rung of a ladder at a number of selected laterallyspaced positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety support memberadapted to be attached to a ladder for providing a safety meanssurrounding the path of ascending and descending motion-along the ladderto aid in retaining an operator in position on the ladder.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety means forattachment to a ladder which can be moved between operable andinoperable positions.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a number of ladderattachment means which are light weight, simple in construction andassembly, economical to manufacture and reliable in performance.

These and other objects and advantages of the details of constructionwill become apparent upon reading the following description of theillustrative embodiments with reference to the attached drawings whereinlike reference numerals have been used to refer to like parts throughoutthe several figures, and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRlPTlON OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a ladder showing the platform support means of the illustrativeembodiments attached thereto and moved to an inoperable nonsupportingposition and with the safety ring support member supported on the ladderin vertically spaced location relative to the platform support means;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view as seen from the rear of theplatform support means shown in FIG. 1 and with the platform supportingsurface moved to an operable supporting position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the safety ringsupport means, with certain parts being broken away and shown in sectionfor purpose of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally along thelength of the ladder showing the platform support means and safety ringmeans moved to an operable supporting position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring now to thedrawings, the illustrative embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to a conventional ladder represented generallyby the reference numeral 10. The ladder includes a pair of parallelarranged leg members 11, 12 which are connected in spaced apartrelationship by a series of vertically spaced rungs 13. One illustrativeembodiment of the present invention includes a support platform 20having a frame attachment assembly 25 which can be easily attached tothe ladder for use in providing a support surface for an operator usingthe ladder either to stand on or to provide a support for equipment usedin a building construction or finishing operation. A second illustrativeembodiment of the present invention includes a safety ring support means60 having a support bracket 70 whereby the safety ring can be readilyattached to a conventional ladder 10. The function of the safety ringmechanism 60 is to allow the ring to be supported at a positionvertically spaced above the platform whereby the ring would provide aguard rail surrounding the area of movement above platform 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the support platform attachment 20includes frame attachment assembly 25.

The frame attachment assembly 25 includes a pair of laterally spacedvertically oriented bracket elements 26, 27. The opposite ends of eachof the brackets 26, 27 are provided with inverted or downwardly orientedsubstantially V-shaped support members 28. Support members 28 aredetailed for receiving the rungs 13 of a ladder, as shown in FIG. 4. TheV-shaped support members 28 are detailed in the V-shaped design topermit a number of various sizes of ladder rungs to be inserted orreceived therein. Vertically extending brackets 26, 27 are supported inlaterally spaced relationship by means of a pair of horizontallyoriented and parallel arranged angle members 29, 30. Angle members 29,30 are fixed by conventional means such as welding to bracket 27 and areconnected to the bracket 26 in laterally spaced relationship by means ofa slot and bolt connection. Each of the angle members 29, 30 is providedwith an elongated slot 31, 32, respectively detailed for readilyreceiving a complementary wing nut connecting means 33, 34,respectively. Slots 31, 32 and wing nut connections 33, 34 are detailedto permit lateral adjustment of bracket 26 relative to bracket 27.

When the bracket 26 is moved to a selected position, adjustment of thewing nut 33, 34 will securely clamp and hold bracket 26 in a fixedposition relative to the angle members 29, 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the angle member 29 is detailed in length to besubstantially equal to the width of a ladder with the angle supportbracket 30 detailed in length to extend laterally outward on oppositesides of the ladder, for providing a pivotal support for supportbrackets, as will be described in more detail herein below.

Platform 20 is supported from the attachment assembly 25 by means of apair of pivotally mounted support brackets 35, 36. Each of the supportbrackets 35, 36 includes an upper supporting rod 37, a lower bracing rod38 and a number of vertically extending spacing rods 39. Each of theupper support rods 37 includes an extended end portion which is bentdownward a slight distance to provide a pivotal supporting stud 40. Thepivotal support studs 40 are detailed to be substantially coplanar tothe vertically extending rods 39 and substantially parallel arrangedthereto.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, each of the lower bracing support rods 38include an extended end which is bent in a first direction laterallyoutward and includes a formed end portion bent downward to provide asecond pivot support stud 41. The pivot support studs 41 are detailed tobe parallel to the pivot support studs 40 and laterally spaced outwardlyin substantially a common plane. As shown in FIG. 1, the pivot supportstuds 40, 41 are pivotally received within openings (not shown) providedin the angle members 29, 30, respectively. The pivotal openings forpivot stud 40 are defined in a horizontal surface of angle member 29adjacent the lateral extended edges thereof and the pivotal opening forpivotal stud 41 are provided in a horizontal surface of angle member 30adjacent laterally extended edges thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support brackets 35, 36 are attached toangle members 29, 30, respectively, whereby they can be pivoted from alaterally extended substantially coplanar inoperable position to a foreand aft substantially parallel arranged operable supporting position.When the support brackets 35, 36 are moved to their laterally extendingoperable position, they extend laterally outward from opposite sides ofthe ladder 10 to provide an unobstructed ascending and descending pathof movement there along. When the support brackets 35, 36 are moved tothe fore and aft operable supporting position, the support platform 20and brackets 35, 36 provide a supporting surface for an operator usingthe ladder and will prevent ascending and descending movement relativethereto.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support platform 20 includes an elongatedwedge-shaped element 21 which is fixed along one lateral edge thereof.The elongated wedge-shaped element 21 is removable received by acomplementary wedge-shaped socket portion 22 fixed to the uppersupporting rod 37 of support bracket 35. The wedge member 21 and socketmember 22 are detailed to allow the platform 20 to be readily removedfrom the attachment frame assembly 25 by sliding the platform to theright, as shown in FIG. 1, to withdraw wedge member 21 from socket 22.

When the bracket support members 35, 36 are moved to an operable foreand aft supporting position, one lateral side edge of platform 20 willbe connected by wedge 21 and socket 22 to be supported by the anglebracket 35 and an opposite lateral side edge of platform 20 will besupported in abutting contact with the upper surface of support rod 35of the angle bracket 36. Platform 20 is provided with a safety rail 23extending around a portion of the lateral sides thereof. The safety rail23 is provided to prevent objects or a person standing on the platformfrom being easily displaced over the lateral edges thereof.

In operation, the frame attachment assembly is connected to a supportingladder by inserting the inverted V-shaped receiving members 28 ofbrackets 26, 27 over the rungs of a ladder. After the brackets 26, 27have been positioned in supporting engagement with the rungs of aladder, the bracket 26 is laterally adjusted relative to bracket 27 to adesired laterally adjusted position. After the brackets 26, 27 have beenmoved to a desired lateral set position the adjustable wing nuts 33, 34are securely tightened to clamp the bracket 26 relative to the anglesupport members 29, 30.

With the support frame attachment assembly 25 supported on a ladder asindicated above, the two support brackets 35, 36 are attached thereto byinserting the pivot studs 40, 41 in their respective pivot receivingopenings provided in angle members 29, 30. After the angle supportbracket 35, 36 have been mounted within the pivot openings, the supportplatform 20 is connected to the angle bracket 35 by inserting wedgemember 21 within the socket 22.

When using the platform attachment 20, the bracket members 35, 36 aremoved to their laterally extending inoperable position as shown in FIG.1 to allow an operator to ascend the rungs of the ladder and reach adesired position thereon. After the operator has reached a positionabove platform 20, the operator can pivot brackets 35, 36 to a fore andaft operable supporting position wherein the platform 20 will beattached to the bracket 35 and will be moved into abutting contact withthe upper supporting rod 37 of bracket 36. In the operable supportingposition, an operator can stand on the platform 20 to perform a numberof construction or building finishing operations, as required. Further,if the operator does not desire to stand on the platform 20, theplatform 20 can be used for supporting various equipment which is usedin the construction and finishing of a building.

Should an operator located above the platform 20 desire to descendladder 10, the operator would pivot support brackets 35, 36 to theirlaterally extending inoperable positions. Movement of brackets 35, 36 totheir laterally extending inoperable position would also move theplatform 20 to a position displaced laterally outward of the path ofascending and descending movement along ladder 10, whereby the operatorcould descend the ladder to a desired location.

After an operator has finished using the ladder or finished using theplatform support attachment 20, the attachment can be readily removedfrom the ladder by merely lifting the platform attachment supportassembly 25 vertically upward to displace the inverted V- shapedreceiving elements 28 from the rungs of the ladder 13. After the supportattachment 25 has been removed from the ladder, the frame assembly 25and platform can be completely disassembled for easy storage andtransport to additional desired locations.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, one illustrativeembodiment of the present invention includes a safety supporting ringmember 60. The safety supporting ring member 60 is constructed of asubstantially U-shaped member having a base 61 with a pair of extendingparallel arranged legs 62, 63. The base member 61 is detailed indimensions to support legs 62, 63 on opposite lateral side edges of theladder legs 11, 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The length of legs 62, 63 aredetailed in dimensions to allow the base portion 61 to be displaced tothe right, as shown in FIG. 4, to allow a path of ascending anddescending movement relative to the ladder. The dimensions of the safetyring 60 are also detailed such that they will provide a ring supportmember extending around the lateral sides of the plat form 20, describedherein above, whereby an operator standing in position on the ladder 20can be maintained within the safety ring 60 to allow the operator toperform various tasks without falling off of the support platform 20.

The safety ring means 60 is supported on ladder 10 by means of amounting attachment 70. The mounting attachment includes a pair oflaterally extending telescoping tubular sections 71, 72. As shown inFIG. 1, the tubular section 71 is slidably received within tubularsection 72 to allow lateral adjustment relative to each other. Each ofthe tubular sections 71, 72 are provided with a substantially J-shapedconnecting bolt 73. The J-shaped connecting bolts 73 are provided with acurved ladder rung engaging portion 74 and an elongated shank portion75. The elongated shank portion 72 is detailed for extending through acomplementary opening provided in the respective tubular sections 71,72. An extended end of the shank portion 75 is provided withconventional adjusting threads 76 detailed for receiving a conventionalwing adjusting nut 77.

In attaching the support attachment 70 to a ladder, the J-shaped formedportions 74 are inserted around the rungs 13 of a ladder, as shown inFIG. 4, with the shank portion 75 extending through the tubular section71, 72. After the J-shaped bolts 73 have been moved to a desiredlaterally set position, the wing nuts 77 are tightened on the shanks 76to securely clamp the support attachment 70 to a supporting ladder rung13.

The extending outer end of each of the tubular sections 71, 72 areprovided with an upstanding angle support bracket 80, which is fixed tothe tubular section by conventional means such as welding (not shown).The angle support brackets 80 includes a first surface portion 81 whichis detailed for abutting engagement with the back side of the legs ofthe ladder, as shown in FIG. 4. Extending forwardly from surface 81 is asecond surface portion 82 disposed at substantially right angle tosurface 81. The angle surfaces 82 are provided with a slot receivingmeans for receiving the releasable connecting elements 65 formed on theextended end of each of the safety ring legs 62, 63, as shown in FIG. 3.

The slot receiving means of bracket 80 includes a first verticallyoriented slot 83 and a second horizontally oriented slot 84. The slots83, 84 are connected to each other adjacent one edge thereof. Thereceiving slots 83, 84 and the releasable connecting elements 65 of thering 60 are detailed to provide a bayonet type releasable connectingmeans whereby the safety ring 60 can be moved to a vertically orientedposition substantially aligned with the vertical slot 83. With the legmembers 62, 63 in a vertically aligned position, the connecting element65 can be inserted within or removed from the vertical slots 83. Afterthe connecting element 65 has been inserted within the vertical slots83, the safety ring member is pivoted to a downward or rightwardlyextended position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 whereby the connectingelement 65 will be rotated to a latched position within the horizontallyoriented slot 84. The releasable connecting element 65 includes anextended formed tab portion 66 which will maintain the connectingelement 65 within slot 84 when the safety ring means is moved to ahorizontally oriented operable supporting position. The dimensions ofthe vertical slot 83 and the length of the connecting element 65including tab 66 are detailed to permit the connecting element 65 to bereadily received and withdrawn through the slot 83 when the safety ringis in a vertically displaced inoperable position.

The safety ring 60 including base member 61 and legs 62, 63 areconstructed of a conventional metal tubular stock material which willpermit a limited amount of flexing movement of the legs 62, 63 to anoutward position to permit the connecting elements 65 to be aligned withthe vertical slots 83. The tension within legs 64, 65 will urge theconnecting elements 65 inwardly to a connected position within slot 83.After the connecting elements 65 have been inserted within slots 63, therotary movement in a clockwise direction as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, willmove the connecting elements 65 to the latched position within theretaining slot 84.

It is to be noted that the ladder platform support attachment 20 can beused with or without the safety ring member 60 and the safety ringmember 60 can be used with or without platform support attachment 20.Further, the safety ring 60 could be supported on the ladder by using anattachment assembly similar to the assembly 25 shown in FIG. 2 whereinthe safety ring 60 could be quickly attached to the ladder rungs 13without the use of adjustable connecting bolts 73. This would beaccomplished by fixing the support brackets 80 to opposite ends of anangle member 29 and allowing the V-shaped brackets 28 to be insertedover the rungs of a ladder.

lt now becomes apparent that the above described illustrativeembodiments are capable of obtaining the above stated objects andadvantages. It is obvious that those skilled in the art may makemodifications in details of construction without departing from thespirit of the invention which is to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A platform support means capable of attachment to a ladder comprisingside rails and rungs, comprising in combination:

a. a frame assembly adapted to extend across the space between the siderails of the ladder;

b. means for supporting said frame assembly on a ladder;

c. a first support bracket mounted on said frame assembly and adapted,when said assembly is positioned on a ladder, to project'away from theladder in a plane adjacent one side rail of the ladder and perpendicularto the plane of the rungs of the ladder;

d. a second support bracket pivotally mounted on said frame assembly forswinging movement from a position adjacent the other rail of said ladderand perpendicular to the plane of the rungs to a second positionoutwardly of said other rail and substantially in the plane of therungs; and

e. a platform member carried by said second support bracket and adapted,when said bracket is in its first position, to extend across the ladderand rest on said first support bracket and, when said second supportbracket is in its second position, to lie entirely beyond the rungs ofthe ladder, to permit free movement ofa person up or down said ladder.

2. A platform support means as in claim I wherein said first supportbracket is pivotally mounted for movement from the position described inclaim 14 to a second position in which said first support bracket liesoutwardly of the ladder and substantially in the plane of the rungs.

3. A platform support means as in claim 1 wherein said platform memberis detachably mounted on said second support bracket.

4. A platform support means as in claim 2 wherein the pivotalconnections between said frame assembly and said support bracketscomprise pivot studs secured to said support brackets and openings insaid frame assembly adapted to receive said pivot studs.

5. A platform support means as described in claim 1 furthercharacterized in that said frame assembly includes means for attachingsaid frame assembly to the rungs of a ladder.

6. A platform support means as described in claim 5 furthercharacterized in that said rung attachment means includes a pair oflaterally spaced support members and wherein said laterally spacedsupport members includes means for mounting at least one of said supportmembers for lateral adjustment relative to said other support member.

7. A platform support means as described in claim 6 furthercharacterized in that said rung attachment means includes means forremovably attaching said frame assembly to at least two spaced rungs.

8. An operable safety support means capable of attachment to a laddercomprising, in combination; a substantially U-shaped retaining member,means for removably supporting said U-shaped retaining member from aladder whereby said U-shaped member extends outwardly from a ladder todefine a supporting ring surrounding the path of ascending movementalong said ladder, said supporting means including a support bracketadapted to be attached to said ladder and wherein said support bracketincludes releasable connecting means adapted to be connected to oppositeleg portions of said U-shaped member.

9. An operable safetysupport means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said ring support member is pivotally mounted formovement relative to said support means for movement from an upwardlydisplaced inoperable position disposed substantially parallel to saidladder to a downwardly displaced operable position disposedsubstantially at right angles to the plane of said ladder.

10. An operable safety support means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said supporting ring includes releasableconnecting elements formed on an extended end of each of said U-shapedleg members and wherein said ladder attachment means includes a pair ofsocket members detailed for readily receiving said connectable elementsand wherein said legs of said ring member are movable from an out wardlydisconnecting position allowing said connecting elements to be removedfrom said sockets and to an inward position allowing said connectableelements to be inserted in said receiving socket.

l1 An operable safety support means as described in claim 10 furthercharacterized in that said socket receiving means includes a first slotportion detailed for maintaining said leg connecting elements in aconnected position when said supporting ring is moved to said operableposition and wherein said socket receiving means includes a second slotportion detailed for permitting said connectable elements to be removedtherethrough when said ring is moved to said displaced inoperableposition.

12. An operable safety support means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said means for removably mounting said supportmeans on a ladder includes laterally spaced connecting elements adaptedto be adjustably secured to the rung ofa ladder.

1. A platform support means capable of attachment to a ladder comprisingside rails and rungs, comprising in combination: a. a frame assemblyadapted to extend across the space between the side rails of the ladder;b. means for supporting said frame assembly on a ladder; c. a firstsupport bracket mounted on said frame assembly and adapted, when saidassembly is positioned on a ladder, to project away from the ladder in aplane adjacent one side rail of the ladder and perpendicular to theplane of the rungs of the ladder; d. a second support bracket pivotallymounted on said frame assembly for swinging movement from a positionadjacent the other rail of said ladder and perpendicular to the plane ofthe rungs to a second position outwardly of said other rail andsubstantially in the plane of the rungs; and e. a platform membercarried by said second support bracket and adapted, when said bracket isin its first position, to extend across the ladder and rest on saidfirst support bracket and, when said second support bracket is in itssecond position, to lie entirely beyond the rungs of the ladder, topermit free movement of a person up or down said ladder.
 2. A platformsupport means as in claim 1 wherein said first support bracket ispivotally mounted for movement from the position described in claim 14to a second position in which said first support bracket lies outwardlyof the ladder and substantially in the plane of the rungs.
 3. A platformsupport means as in claim 1 wherein said platform member is detachablymounted on said second support bracket.
 4. A platform support means asin claim 2 wherein the pivotal connections between said frame assemblyand said support brackets comprise pivot studs secured to said supportbrackets and openings in said frame assembly adapted to receive saidpivot studs.
 5. A platform support means as described in claim 1 furthercharacterized in that said frame assembly includes means for attachingsaid frame assembly to the rungs of a ladder.
 6. A platform supportmeans as described in claim 5 further characterized in that said rungattachment means includes a pair of laterally spaced support members andwherein said laterally spaced support members includes means formounting at least one of said support members for lateral adjustmentrelative to said other support member.
 7. A platform support means asdescribed in claim 6 further characterized in that said rung attachmentmeans includes means for removably attaching said frame assembly to atleast two spaced rungs.
 8. An operable safety support means capable ofattachment to a ladder comprising, in combination; a substantiallyU-shaped retaining member, means for removably supporting said U-shapedretaining member from a ladder whereby said U-shaped member extendsoutwardly from a ladder to define a supporting ring surrounding the pathof ascending movement along said ladder, said supporting means includinga support bracket adapted to be attached to said ladder and wherein saidsupport bracket includes releasable connecting means adapted to beconnected to opposite leg portions of said U-shaped member.
 9. Anoperable safety support means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said ring support member is pivotally mounted formovement relative to said support means for movement from an upwardlydisplaced inoperable position disposed substantially parallel to saidladder to a downwardly displaced operable position disposedsubstantially at right angles to the plane of said ladder.
 10. Anoperable safety support means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said supporting ring includes releasableconnecting elements formed on an extended end of each of said U-shapedleg members aNd wherein said ladder attachment means includes a pair ofsocket members detailed for readily receiving said connectable elementsand wherein said legs of said ring member are movable from an outwardlydisconnecting position allowing said connecting elements to be removedfrom said sockets and to an inward position allowing said connectableelements to be inserted in said receiving socket.
 11. An operable safetysupport means as described in claim 10 further characterized in thatsaid socket receiving means includes a first slot portion detailed formaintaining said leg connecting elements in a connected position whensaid supporting ring is moved to said operable position and wherein saidsocket receiving means includes a second slot portion detailed forpermitting said connectable elements to be removed therethrough whensaid ring is moved to said displaced inoperable position.
 12. Anoperable safety support means as described in claim 8 furthercharacterized in that said means for removably mounting said supportmeans on a ladder includes laterally spaced connecting elements adaptedto be adjustably secured to the rung of a ladder.